Shaping the Future of the Profession Through Student Engagement

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Engagement is invaluable among all our member groups, especially our students. ASCE’s 373 student chapters make up a vibrant community of aspiring civil engineers across all 50 states and 23 countries. It’s our responsibility to prepare these rising stars to become the trustees of a sustainable world.

Our student members yield tremendous capacity and drive for innovation, with powerful potential to redefine the future of sustainable infrastructure. So we must challenge them with new ideas, materials, and practices on a global scale. To build a foundation of learning and to support early career growth, we’ve announced two new student competitions for the 2018-19 school year.

These two new student competitions are not only fun, but essential for experiential and advanced learning outside of students’ university engineering curriculum.

The first, a Blue-Sky Competitions Contest, will engage students in innovative, outside-the-box thinking as they create concept ideas for future student competitions. The Competitions Contest will challenge students to identify and combine visionary ideas to address engineering challenges with demonstrable ideas for long-term student competitions. These ideas will potentially influence the future of ASCE’s Student Conferences.

The second activity, the Sustainable Solutions Competition, will reinforce the now-critical concept of sustainable design with a building project. Students will be presented with a problem statement and tasked with design and construction of a sustainable animal shelter that can be used in the aftermath of an emergency or disaster. Competitors will demonstrate resourcefulness and complete the shelter without degrading the quantity, quality, or availability of natural, economic, and social resources. The goal is to provide a fun and creative activity with an academic and community service component.

The future of the profession and our infrastructure is dependent on the next generation of civil engineers. We’ve shifted gears toward a more innovative platform on and from which our student communities can thrive. As we set our sights high and work together, we will continue to provide a framework for their careers and futures as tomorrow’s civil engineers.

In case you missed them, here are some other ways we are working for you:

Join the discussions at the recently updated ASCE Collaborate

Do you have work-related questions, either about your career or about help you need on a project, that fellow members could answer? Want to share your knowledge? “Meet” ASCE members from around the globe, participate in dynamic discussion groups, and network with like-minded, passionate people at the updated ASCE Collaborate site. Join the discussions today.

The Salary Calculator lets you compare how well you’re being paid

The 2018 ASCE Salary Report details compensation statistics for civil engineers by location, discipline, and experience levels, among other metrics. The report’s Salary Calculator allows civil engineers to sort and compare the results with their individual pay and benefits. Society members get five free uses of the calculator.

ASCE’s in search of the next New Faces of Civil Engineering

Do you know promising student members of ASCE or accomplished Younger Members 30 and under? Or do you believe you qualify? ASCE is now welcoming applications to the New Faces of Civil Engineering collegiate and professional recognition programs for 2019. See the qualifications and how to apply.

Achievements in sustainability sought for ASCE award

ASCE’s annual Innovation in Sustainable Engineering Award honors a project that demonstrates a novel application of sustainability, especially achievements that can inspire others. Learn more about award qualifications and download an entry form. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 1. Questions? Write to awards@asce.org.

Discounts on top brands help your ASCE membership pay for itself

ASCE partners with major businesses to bring you significant discounts not available elsewhere. Explore the savings from companies including Hertz, UPS, Whirlpool, and GEICO. Check out ASCE Member Advantages.